History of Henry VIII

[Enter NORFOLK at one door; at the other, BUCKINGHAM]
[p]and ABERGAVENNY]

Duke of Buckingham. Good morrow, and well met. How have ye done
35Since last we saw in France?

Duke of Norfolk. I thank your grace,
Healthful; and ever since a fresh admirer
Of what I saw there.

Duke of Buckingham. An untimely ague
40Stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber when
Those suns of glory, those two lights of men,
Met in the vale of Andren.

Duke of Norfolk. 'Twixt Guynes and Arde:
I was then present, saw them salute on horseback;
45Beheld them, when they lighted, how they clung
In their embracement, as they grew together;
Which had they, what four throned ones could have weigh'd
Such a compounded one?

Duke of Norfolk. Then you lost
The view of earthly glory: men might say,
Till this time pomp was single, but now married
To one above itself. Each following day
55Became the next day's master, till the last
Made former wonders its. To-day the French,
All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods,
Shone down the English; and, to-morrow, they
Made Britain India: every man that stood
60Show'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
As cherubins, all guilt: the madams too,
Not used to toil, did almost sweat to bear
The pride upon them, that their very labour
Was to them as a painting: now this masque
65Was cried incomparable; and the ensuing night
Made it a fool and beggar. The two kings,
Equal in lustre, were now best, now worst,
As presence did present them; him in eye,
Still him in praise: and, being present both
70'Twas said they saw but one; and no discerner
Durst wag his tongue in censure. When these suns—
For so they phrase 'em—by their heralds challenged
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous story,
75Being now seen possible enough, got credit,
That Bevis was believed.

Duke of Norfolk. As I belong to worship and affect
In honour honesty, the tract of every thing
80Would by a good discourser lose some life,
Which action's self was tongue to. All was royal;
To the disposing of it nought rebell'd.
Order gave each thing view; the office did
Distinctly his full function.
85

Duke of Buckingham. Who did guide,
I mean, who set the body and the limbs
Of this great sport together, as you guess?

Duke of Norfolk. One, certes, that promises no element
In such a business.
90

Duke of Norfolk. All this was order'd by the good discretion
Of the right reverend Cardinal of York.

Duke of Buckingham. The devil speed him! no man's pie is freed
From his ambitious finger. What had he
95To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder
That such a keech can with his very bulk
Take up the rays o' the beneficial sun
And keep it from the earth.

Duke of Norfolk. Surely, sir,
100There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propp'd by ancestry, whose grace
Chalks successors their way, nor call'd upon
For high feats done to the crown; neither allied
For eminent assistants; but, spider-like,
105Out of his self-drawing web, he gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the king.

Lord Abergavenny. I cannot tell
110What heaven hath given him,—let some graver eye
Pierce into that; but I can see his pride
Peep through each part of him: whence has he that,
If not from hell? the devil is a niggard,
Or has given all before, and he begins
115A new hell in himself.

Duke of Buckingham. Why the devil,
Upon this French going out, took he upon him,
Without the privity o' the king, to appoint
Who should attend on him? He makes up the file
120Of all the gentry; for the most part such
To whom as great a charge as little honour
He meant to lay upon: and his own letter,
The honourable board of council out,
Must fetch him in the papers.
125

Lord Abergavenny. I do know
Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have
By this so sickened their estates, that never
They shall abound as formerly.

Duke of Buckingham. O, many
130Have broke their backs with laying manors on 'em
For this great journey. What did this vanity
But minister communication of
A most poor issue?

Duke of Norfolk. Grievingly I think,
135The peace between the French and us not values
The cost that did conclude it.

Duke of Buckingham. Every man,
After the hideous storm that follow'd, was
A thing inspired; and, not consulting, broke
140Into a general prophecy; That this tempest,
Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded
The sudden breach on't.

Duke of Norfolk. Which is budded out;
For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd
145Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux.

Duke of Norfolk. Like it your grace,
The state takes notice of the private difference
155Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you—
And take it from a heart that wishes towards you
Honour and plenteous safety—that you read
The cardinal's malice and his potency
Together; to consider further that
160What his high hatred would effect wants not
A minister in his power. You know his nature,
That he's revengeful, and I know his sword
Hath a sharp edge: it's long and, 't may be said,
It reaches far, and where 'twill not extend,
165Thither he darts it. Bosom up my counsel,
You'll find it wholesome. Lo, where comes that rock
That I advise your shunning.
[Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY, the purse borne before him,]certain of the Guard, and two Secretaries with
170papers. CARDINAL WOLSEY in his passage fixeth his
eye on BUCKINGHAM, and BUCKINGHAM on him, both full
of disdain]

Duke of Buckingham. This butcher's cur is venom-mouth'd, and I
Have not the power to muzzle him; therefore best
Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar's book
Outworths a noble's blood.
185

Duke of Norfolk. What, are you chafed?
Ask God for temperance; that's the appliance only
Which your disease requires.

Duke of Buckingham. I read in's looks
Matter against me; and his eye reviled
190Me, as his abject object: at this instant
He bores me with some trick: he's gone to the king;
I'll follow and outstare him.

Duke of Norfolk. Stay, my lord,
And let your reason with your choler question
195What 'tis you go about: to climb steep hills
Requires slow pace at first: anger is like
A full-hot horse, who being allow'd his way,
Self-mettle tires him. Not a man in England
Can advise me like you: be to yourself
200As you would to your friend.

Duke of Buckingham. I'll to the king;
And from a mouth of honour quite cry down
This Ipswich fellow's insolence; or proclaim
There's difference in no persons.
205

Duke of Norfolk. Be advised;
Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot
That it do singe yourself: we may outrun,
By violent swiftness, that which we run at,
And lose by over-running. Know you not,
210The fire that mounts the liquor til run o'er,
In seeming to augment it wastes it? Be advised:
I say again, there is no English soul
More stronger to direct you than yourself,
If with the sap of reason you would quench,
215Or but allay, the fire of passion.

Duke of Buckingham. Sir,
I am thankful to you; and I'll go along
By your prescription: but this top-proud fellow,
Whom from the flow of gall I name not but
220From sincere motions, by intelligence,
And proofs as clear as founts in July when
We see each grain of gravel, I do know
To be corrupt and treasonous.

Duke of Buckingham. To the king I'll say't; and make my vouch as strong
As shore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,
Or wolf, or both,—for he is equal ravenous
As he is subtle, and as prone to mischief
As able to perform't; his mind and place
230Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally—
Only to show his pomp as well in France
As here at home, suggests the king our master
To this last costly treaty, the interview,
That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
235Did break i' the rinsing.

Duke of Buckingham. Pray, give me favour, sir. This cunning cardinal
The articles o' the combination drew
As himself pleased; and they were ratified
240As he cried 'Thus let be': to as much end
As give a crutch to the dead: but our count-cardinal
Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey,
Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows,—
Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy
245To the old dam, treason,—Charles the emperor,
Under pretence to see the queen his aunt—
For 'twas indeed his colour, but he came
To whisper Wolsey,—here makes visitation:
His fears were, that the interview betwixt
250England and France might, through their amity,
Breed him some prejudice; for from this league
Peep'd harms that menaced him: he privily
Deals with our cardinal; and, as I trow,—
Which I do well; for I am sure the emperor
255Paid ere he promised; whereby his suit was granted
Ere it was ask'd; but when the way was made,
And paved with gold, the emperor thus desired,
That he would please to alter the king's course,
And break the foresaid peace. Let the king know,
260As soon he shall by me, that thus the cardinal
Does buy and sell his honour as he pleases,
And for his own advantage.

Duke of Norfolk. I am sorry
To hear this of him; and could wish he were
265Something mistaken in't.

Duke of Buckingham. No, not a syllable:
I do pronounce him in that very shape
He shall appear in proof.
[Enter BRANDON, a Sergeant-at-arms before him, and]270two or three of the Guard]

Sergeant. Sir,
My lord the Duke of Buckingham, and Earl
Of Hereford, Stafford, and Northampton, I
275Arrest thee of high treason, in the name
Of our most sovereign king.

Duke of Buckingham. Lo, you, my lord,
The net has fall'n upon me! I shall perish
Under device and practise.
280

Brandon. I am sorry
To see you ta'en from liberty, to look on
The business present: 'tis his highness' pleasure
You shall to the Tower.

Duke of Buckingham. It will help me nothing
285To plead mine innocence; for that dye is on me
Which makes my whitest part black. The will of heaven
Be done in this and all things! I obey.
O my Lord Abergavenny, fare you well!

Brandon. Nay, he must bear you company. The king
290[To ABERGAVENNY]Is pleased you shall to the Tower, till you know
How he determines further.

Lord Abergavenny. As the duke said,
The will of heaven be done, and the king's pleasure
295By me obey'd!

Brandon. Here is a warrant from
The king to attach Lord Montacute; and the bodies
Of the duke's confessor, John de la Car,
One Gilbert Peck, his chancellor—
300